


When Christmas Failed but turned into the Best Christmas Ever

by mcmirrr



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: BBC Merlin Secret Santa, Christmas, Fluff, M/M, Modern AU, no magic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-30
Updated: 2015-12-30
Packaged: 2018-05-10 10:20:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,251
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5581987
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mcmirrr/pseuds/mcmirrr
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Arthur is the owner of a large business that held a christmas party in New York. His assistant Merlin accompanied him, but not everything went to plan..</p>
            </blockquote>





	When Christmas Failed but turned into the Best Christmas Ever

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the 2015 BBC Merlin Secret Santa! It's for tumblr user querewolves, I hope it lives up to your expectations :)

A yellow taxi stopped in front of the high building that seemed to be made fully of glass and said _Avalon Hotel_ on the front, just as it had said in the email sent to Merlin Emrys three weeks before. He and his boss Arthur Pendragon, well dressed in a full suit and tie, stepped out of the taxi and into the snowy world of New York. Slipping and sliding they made their way to the hotel, followed by the taxi driver carrying their luggage. It made Merlin feel a bit uneasy, having someone serving them like that, but it was the way Arthur had always liked it. At least he was the one paying for it, and Merlin, being his personal assistant, was being payed.  
    For three years now, Merlin had worked for Arthur. All this time he had been by Arthur's side almost 24/7, helping him with the silliest things you could imagine, like managing his e-mails, answering his phone or writing his speeches. Arthur's christmas speech was packed away safely in the bag now being stacked onto more suitcases.  
    'Hi, I'm Arthur Pendragon, this is my assistant Merlin Emrys, we're here for the Camelot Inc. Christmas party?' Said Arthur as they approached the service desk.  
    The lady behind the desk typed something on her laptop and smiled as she retrieved a keycard from under her desk.  
    'Room 714, which is on the seventh floor. Ralph here will take you there,' she said, pointing at a tall handsome man waiting behind them, 'Your luggage will be sent up after you. If there is anything you need, we will do everything we can to help you. I hope you have a pleasant stay!'  
    She smiled friendly, but Arthur hesitated as he took the keycard from her. Merlin checked his phone quickly to see where this mistake could have been made, but the email said nothing about how many rooms there were booked.  
    'Is there a problem?' asked the lady, her smile now fading into a concerned frown.  
    'Well, you see,' began Arthur politely, 'We expected there to be two rooms, one for each of us?'  
    'I am so sorry, sir,' the lady typed some more on her laptop, 'I'm afraid there are no rooms available for tonight. There is one free the day after tomorrow, but for now I'm afraid one room for the two of you will have to do. It is a room for two, if that helps.'  
    Arthur sighed and looked at Merlin. His eyes clearly said 'Merlin, you idiot, this must be your fault', because everything always was Merlin's fault in Arthur's eyes.  
    Merlin shrugged and took the keycard from Arthur.  
    'It's fine, we can handle it, can't we mr. Pendragon?' Merlin said, exaggerating the politeness in his voice as he said the last two words. Arthur narrowed his eyes but said nothing.  
    Merlin couldn't help but smile a little as he followed his boss and the guy from the hotel to the lifts. He'd known Arthur for so long now, they were practically a married couple. Only without, you know.. A little fluttery feeling emerged in Merlin's stomach, like it always did when he thought about Arthur in a less platonic and professional way. The prospect of sharing a room was a strangely pleasant one. If only Arthur thought of it the same way. He seemed strangely disgruntled at the idea..

**

The door swung open without a sound, revealing a comfortably furnished room with a large window viewing the city with its yellow cars and wet snow drizzling from the sky that was darkening rapidly now.  
    Merlin stood next to Arthur in the doorway, so close that Arthur could smell the leather of his jacket and the familiar scent that was Merlin's own. Whenever Arthur caught a whiff of it, it seemed to travel to all corners of his body like a tingling sensation. It did so even more now Merlin stood there being all warm, staring into the room.  
    The reason why they remained in the doorway while the hotel guy had left and had wished them a good day, was that there was only one bed. It was a double bed, luckily, but they had both expected a room with two single bed. At least, Arthur had expected that. This was a whole different situation. For two nights they would have to share a bed. They would have to wake up next to each other on Christmas Day tomorrow, and go to bed (possibly drunk) to wake up next to each other _again_ on Boxing Day (possibly hungover).  
    'I guess it'll have to do,' said Merlin, breaking the silence that stretched between them and had almost seemed to fill the room. Now the room came to life with Merlin's voice as he stepped over the threshold. Arthur followed and pretended to test the mattress by pressing his fists into it.  
    'Good bed,' he concluded.  
    Merlin chuckled and sat down in a chair by the window.  
    'Look at that view!' he exclaimed, 'You can practically feel the christmas lights illuminating every room in the city..'  
    Arthur didn't reply but walked to the window to take in the view with Merlin. It really was stunning and the christmas glow filled Arthur to the brim.     He'd never liked christmas that much but Merlin's beaming face made christmas so much better.  
    Merlin looked up at Arthur and the latter quickly turned his gaze to the sky.  
    'I hope this crappy snow becomes actual snow tomorrow, we'll have a white christmas!' he said, to try to shake off the awkward feeling he had after he looked away from Merlin so quickly. As if he was guilty of something.  
    Merlin chuckled again and agreed with him.  
    After that they got ready to go to the christmas party the company had set up for them and their staff. The business had become multinational two years before and a trip to New York seemed only necessary. Everyone who had anything to do with Camelot Inc. was invited. It was going to be a christmas to remember.

**  
  
Merlin punched the number 7 in the elevator and watched as the doors closed. Next to him Arthur yawned and checked his watch.  
    'It's only three, we could've stayed a little longer!' he said, stifling another yawn.  
    'Yeah, well, it's not like it was the best party we've ever been to, though, has it?' said Merlin, bouncing on the balls of his feet impatiently. Finally the elevator dinged and the doors slid open.  
    'They were just teasing, you shouldn't be such a crybaby, Merlin,' said Arthur, 'You shouldn't listen to anything they say, especially Gwaine and Percival.'  
    'Yeah, well, I'm here to do my job and there was no need for them to talk me down like that,' retorted Merlin, searching his pockets for the keycard.  
    They were silent for a moment, finally arriving at their door.  
    'It's freezing here, or is that just me?' Arthur folded his arms in front of his chest as Merlin opened the door to their room.  
    The window was open wide, it was practically snowing inside.  
    'What the hell?' yelled Merlin, 'Who would open the window that wide on a night like this?'  
    'I'd like to find out so I can have a strong word with them,' said Arthur, glad to have properly changed the subject.  
    'I'll send an email in the morning,' muttered Merlin. He crossed the room to the window and shut it with as much noise as he could, 'First one room with one bed, now this!'

After they were both changed out of their clothes, ready to sleep, the room had still not warmed up at all.  
    'Where is the radiator here?' asked Merlin, looking around. There was an ensuite bathroom, which was at least as cold as the bedroom.  
    'Isn't there floor heating in hotels like these?'  
    'Alright, whatever,' Merlin now looked around for any sign of a heat controller on the walls, 'how does floor heating work then?'  
    'I don't know, you're usually the one who knows how household things like that work. My housekeeper probably knows, but he's not here.'  
    'Fine, I'm gonna call the service desk,' Merlin snatched the old-fashioned looking phone from the side-table and dialed the number.  
    After half an hour and at least twenty tries, Merlin finally gave up calling. There was no answer.  
    'Add that to the email you're writing tomorrow, will you,' said Arthur sleepily. He'd already crawled into bed and was waiting for Merlin to stop making noise.  
    Merlin made a sort of growling sound and finally stepped into bed, shivering. His cold feet accidentally found Arthur's, who roared with shock.  
    'MERLIN,' he yelled, probably forgetting they were in a hotel where actual people could hear them, 'Don't _ever_ do that again, or I swear I'll fire you, you bloody idiot!'  
    'You would never fire me,' said Merlin calmly.  
    'Is that so? And why not?'  
    'Because _you're_ the idiot,' Merlin chuckled, but Arthur frowned, 'You'd never survive without me!'  
    'There are thousands of people who would probably do a better job than you!' Arthur said with clenched teeth.  
    'Maybe, but would any other personal assistant be able to cope with Morgana's strange needs? Would any other assistant pick up your dirty laundry where you leave it on the floor because you don't allow your housekeeper in your bedroom? Would any-'  
    'Alright, fine,' interrupted Arthur as he turned away from Merlin, 'Just switch off the light, will you?'  
    Merlin smiled, looking at the back of Arthur's head for a moment, maybe a moment too long, and then turned off the lights.

Merlin could make out Arthurs body in the semi-darkness (the curtains let way too much light through – another issue Merlin should complain about tomorrow). A door slammed shut somewhere in the hall and the elevator dinged. Arthur breathed slowly, it seemed he was already asleep.  
    For more than an hour, Merlin lay awake like that. He was hyper aware that Arthur was lying next to him, sleeping as if nothing odd was going on here. Merlin couldn't help but wonder what would happen if he'd touch Arthur now. He imagined endless scenarios, most of them involved Arthur yelling and looking at Merlin in a disgusted way, some of them were too good to even fantasize about.  
    Then, the unthinkable happened.  
    Arthur snored softly as he turned around, facing Merlin. He kept wriggling in the sheets a while, nearly pulling them away from Merlin, and then lay still with his forehead against Merlin's shoulder. Merlin didn't know what to do, but eventually decided just to stay put. He couldn't sleep anyway. As the minutes passed, Arthur seemed to come closer and closer, and what seemed like another hour later, he was holding Merlin's arm close to his bare chest.  
    At this point Merlin hardly dared to breathe. His heart hammered in his throat as he stared fixedly at the ceiling.  
    Very slowly Merlin turned around to face Arthur, who still held onto his arm, twisting it a little awkwardly. As Merlin's face was directly in front of Arthur's, he couldn't stop himself anymore. He'd made the decision. It was probably a really stupid decision that could cost him his job, his career, and probably his life as it was now, but he did it anyway.  
    He found his way to Arthur's lips with his own, and kissed him.  
    Arthur didn't seem to notice at first, but then his eyes opened slowly. Merlin's face was still so close to Arthur's that their noses almost touched. They looked at each other in silence. Arthur seemed to realize he was holding Merlin's arm. Slowly he withdrew his hands, but his fingers lingered on Merlin's wrist, until they held fast again.  
    Merlin couldn't believe it when he saw how his boss' eyes moved from his own eyes to his lips and back. Then they were full on kissing and Merlin felt almost lost as he felt Arthur everywhere on his body. Arthur seemed to be all around him, holding him, kissing him, sliding his hands over his chest and arms and cheeks. Merlin had no idea of time passing, the kiss seemed endless but at the same time too short. Merlin couldn't feel the cold anymore.

**

Arthur woke up the next day – or, a few hours later – in a sort of dreamy daze. The first thing he noticed, was Merlin's body pressed against his own, sleeping serenely. Then the memories of that night came flooding back and he couldn't help but laugh. He laughed softly, though, trying not to wake Merlin.  
    He could hardly believe that Merlin was really there, lying next to him, and that they really made out only a few hours before that. It was still cold in the room, but he didn't care. Merlin made him warm enough, inside and out.  
    Finally, Merlin woke up. Slowly he looked up into Arthur's face. He seemed a little uncertain, as if he too was only just remembering what had happened. Before he could say anything though, Arthur planted a little kiss on his nose and softly stroked his arm. Merlin's eyes suddenly sparkled and he kissed Arthur enthusiastically, pulling him closer. Their arms got a little tangled and they were forced to change their position a little or they'd both break all their bones. Merlin giggled as he pulled Arthur close again.  
    'Merry Christmas,' whispered Arthur in between the kisses.  
    'Yes, merry Christmas, you idiot,' laughed Merlin.


End file.
